Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-04-15
PHYSICIANS In COUNCIL.
Quarterly Meeting of the Central
District Society.
Delegates Selected to Three AssOcia-
ton Gatherings---An Able Paper on
.Suicides.~

The regular quarterly meeting of the
Iowa and Illinois central district Medical
Society was held in the board of education
rooms this city. at O'Clock yesterday
afternoon. To the absence of the presi-
dent. Dr. J. W. Fl. Baker of Davenport,
DR.. E. H. Bowman of Andalusia, was
called to the chair There were present
Drs. Plummer, Morgan, Hszen, Hunter.
E. H. Bowman, Dawson, Cozad. Dunn,
Nicholas and McCowen.
The names of Drs. W. K. Sloan Of
Moline, j. NJ. Bruner of Port Byron
and J. A. De Almond of LIE Claire, Iowa.
were proposed and the physicians elected
members. The association then proceed
ed TO the election of
DELEGATES
to the meeting of the Iowa State Medical
Association TO be held at Sioux City May
IS, and the following were elected; Drs.
De Almond, HaZen, j. W. H. Baker,
Stella B. Nichols, Jennie c. McCowen.
Philips, Baxter, A. W. Bowman and
Cantwell.
Delegates were chosen to the Illinois
State Medical association as follows:
Drs. L. B. Dunn, S. c. Plummer, Bruner,
Hunter, C. Truesdale, E. Fl. Bowman,
Cozsd, Long, Wells and Bernhard.
Delegates to the American Medical as
soeiation are Drs, Plummer, Sloan. Craig,
HaZen and hcCowen.
SUICIDES.
The most interesting feature of the
meeting was paper on Suicides, "prepar>
ed and read by DR.. Jennie C. Mcoowen
of Davenport, and of which the the fol-
lowing is an outline.
After sketching rapidly through the
historical part of the subject, the increase
and regularity OF suicide in civilized
countries was dwelt upon and COM
parsons made between the states of
Europe and America in rcgusrd to the
influence upon this act of self-destruction
of climate, age, sex, seasons and times,
race, civilization, social status and social
conditions.
Some very interesting facts were
brought out relating to the comparative
frequency of suicide and homicide. In
New York and New jersey suicide is to
murder as three to one; in Pennsylvania,
as two TO one; il Iowa three to one In
the eastern states collectively, suicide is
six times as frequent as murder In the
western states collectively there is more
murder and less suicide Taking the
world over the proportion of suicide to
murder is always in excess, from which
the conclusion was drawn that man is
literally his worst enemy.
The proportion of suicide among
criminals and lunatics was discussed and
some very curious facts brought to light
in regard to the comparative frequency
of suicide in hospitals where restraint is
abolished, and in those still claiming
that restraint is necessity in order to
prevent suicide. The proportion in the
latter being as shown by their own re-
port from three to ten times greater than
in the former
Interesting facts were given in regard
to the preferences of different nations
for certain methods of committing the
act. Hanging heads the list, followed
closely by drowning. Poisoning is pre-
ferred in Ireland and Italy, charcoal
fumes in France. Among the Jews the
fashionable made of committing the act
from time immemorial has been to throw
themselves from the . housetops. In
Japan the victim disembowles himself.
Among the North American Indians, the
preferred mode is by hanging, and as
they have tradition that IN the spirit
world they are forced to drag the tree
about with them forever, they always Sc
lect the smallest one which will answer
the purpose.
The doctor then proceeded to discuss
the following questions: What is the
social significance of this act of volun,
tary death? Has it the character of lib
erty and spontaneity, or is it but the final
expressions of certain psychological and
laws regulating the relation between
man and the rest Of nature What
deterrent influences may be brought to
bear against the increasing tide of self
murder? These questions are full of in
terest to the physicians no less than to |
the meta physician and to to the student |
of social science.
The paper was listened to with mark
ed attention throughout and vote of
thanks to the essayist was adopted The
society further requested DR.. McCowen
to give at her convenience discussion of |
the following points: First, the increase |
of suicide among children. Second, the |
tendency to epidemics of suicide. Third, |
is person who commits suicide neces>
sarily of unsound mind
DR.. j. W. Morgan, of Port Byron, re-
ported his experience in a number of cases |
of interest to the medical fraternity, and |